Daniel imhof



(No Model.)

D. IMHOP.

AUTOMATIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

No. 540,059. Patented May 28, 1895.

Vohrenbach, Baden, in the Empire of Geropenings the air can enter from the tubes 5 many, have invented certain new and useful 9, while through the openings 16 the bellows Improvements in and Relating to Automatic can discharge its air to the outside. In the Musical Instruments, of which the following bellows is arranged a rocking lever 17 which is a specification, reference being had to the alternately closes one or the other of the two accompanying drawing. openings and is heavier on the side of the to This invention relatesto automatic musical opening 16. Above this device is the wind instruments. chest 19 with holes 18 for the reeds 18, these Whereas the devices heretofore used for holes 18 being adapted to be closed by flaps operating the clack valves or hammers of mu- 20 and springs 21. sical instruments are sufficient for such in- For playing the musical instrument the op- 15 struments as have rollers provided with pins, eration is as followsz-Nhen the point 5 of these devices are inadequate when a perfothe key bears upon the music sheet, all the rated music sheet takes the place of the pin parts are at rest and the lower valves close rollers. The movement of the keys is not so the tubes, so that no compressed air can pass precise. Consequently the device operates into the bellows 13, while the upper valves 11 20 with less precision than in the case of the roller are open and connect the tubes with the atsystem. Therefore these musical instruments mospheric air. Accordingly the rockinglever are of inferior value. This inconvenience is occupies the position wherein the opening 15 remedied by the aforesaid invention which and the flap 20 are closed. When however provides for just as precise a sounding of the the key drops into a hole in the music sheet 5 25 notes with perforated music sheets as with the the lower valves open the tube 9, whereby the roller system. compressed air is caused to pass from the box As shown in the figure of the accompanying 7 into these tubes, is conducted through the drawing the perforated music sheet 1 is wound tubes 12 into the bellows 13, forcing down the upon and from the rollers 2. Rollers 3 serve end of the rocking lever which has closed the 0 for guiding this music sheet which passes over opening 15, and closing at the same time the a rollert. In this rollerare grooves into which other opening 16. Thus the compressed air in the pin 5 of the key 6 can drop when it passes the bellows 13 forces down the bottom 1a which into a hole in the music sheet. opens the flap 20 connected with it, whereupon Use is made of a box 7 with compressed air the reed receives air from the wind chest 19. 5 and a box 8 communicating freely with the As soon as the key rises again onto the music atmospheric air. Tubes 9 extend from the sheet the tube 9 is at once closed from below box 7 to the box 8. Each of these tubes corand the compressed air can no longer-enter it, responds to a key and is placed directly above but at the same time the tubes 9 are opened the latter. The tubes are not placed directly above toward the open box 8. At this moment 0 o beside each other, as the keys in this case the compressed airin the bellows 13 can escape would occupy too great a width for the music throughthe tubes 12, while the left-hand part sheet, but they are alternated. Rods or wires of the rocking lever drops down, the opening 10 coming from the keys extend through these 16 is uncovered and the opening 15 is closed, tubes and carry valves 11 above and below. so that the pressure of the spring 21 can in- 5 5 hen the point of the key bears upon the stantlyclosethefiap 20. Inlieuofthe flaps 20, music sheet the tubes are closed from below, hammers may be operated to set the strings of and when it passes into a hole in the music astringed instrument, drum sticks or the like sheet it drops in consequence of the weight in motion. of the valves, opens the tube below and closes It will be seen that the essential part of the X00 0 it above, this latter case being indicated in improved arrangement is constituted by the the drawing. Each of these tubes communibellows 13 with the rockinglever17. As soon UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DANIEL IMHOF, OF VOHRENBAOI-I, GERMANY, ASSIGNOR TO IMHOE dz MUKLE, OF SAME PLACE AND LONDON, ENGLAND.

INSTRUMENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 540,059, dated May 28, 1895 Appli ion filed February 19, 1895. Serial No. 538.986. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, DANIEL IMHOF, a subect of the Emperor of Germany, residing at cates through a tube 12 with a bellows 13 the bottom 14 of which is movable. The bellows has two openings 15 and 16. Through the as the compressed air arrives it blows open the valve for the opening 15 and at the same time closes the opening 16, while an the cessation of the air pressure the rocking lever reverses its position and during its movement allows the compressed air to escape from the bellows through the two openings 15 and 16.

What I claim is- 1. In a pneumatic action for musical instruments, the combination with the bellows having two openings communicating respectively with the atmospheric air and with a con-' duit for supplying compressed air to the be]- lows, of a rocking lever provided at its opposite ends with valves for alternately controlling said openings, a reservoir for supplying compressed air to said conduit, and means for alternately placing the said conduit in communication with said reservoir and with the atmospheric air, substantially as described and for the purpose specified,

2. In a pneumatic action for musical instruments, the combination with the bellows having two openings communicating respectively with the atmospheric air and with a conduit for supplying compressed air to the bellows, of a rocking lever provided at its opposite ends with valves for alternately controlling said openings, a tube communicating with said conduit and communicating with a compressed air reservoir and with the atmospheric air, valves for alternately placing said tube in communication with said reservoir and with the atmospheric air, and means for simultaneously operating said valves, substantially as described.

3. In a pneumatic action for musical instruments, the combination with the bellows having two openings communicating respectively with the atmospheric air and with a conduit for supplying compressed air to the bellows, of a rocking lever weighted at one end and provided at its opposite ends with valves for alternately controlling said openings, a reservoir for supplying compressed air to said conduit, and means for alternately placing the said conduit in communication with said-reservoir and with the atmospheric air, substantially as described.

4. In a pneumatic action for musical instruments, the combination with the bellows having two openings communicating respectively with the atmospheric air and with a conduit for supplying compressed air to the bellows, of a rocking lever provided at its opposite ends with valves for alternately controlling said openings, a tube communicating with said conduit and communicating at its opposite ends respectively with a compressed air reservoir and with the atmospheric air, valves connected together and operating to simultaneously open one end and close the other end of said tube, and means for operat- 'ing said valves for alternately placing said DANIEL IMHOF. Witnesses:

EMIL RUEF, Z. SCHIACH. 

